The Vignette Collection
by The Legend of Rune Factory
Summary: As the title suggests, a collection of short one-shots and vignettes surrounding the characters. Situations and pairings will vary. Ch. 4: Cold: "One night in the inn, Anise gets a bit chilly as she's trying to fall asleep, so she forces Natalia to cuddle with her. Unfortunately, now both of them are freezing. The only one left in the room is Tear and she looks pretty warm."
1. Medicine

**I recently started played this game... I haven't stopped since. So many emotions. So much SHIPPING. **

**So yeah, this is going to be a bunch of small one-shots/vignettes. There will be multiple pairings, but for the most part it'll be LukexTear.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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1

Medicine

_Tear/Mieu friendship; slight LukexTear_

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"Mieu, Tear, what's that?"

She inhaled sharply and hid the object behind her. "I-it's nothing." She averted her eyes from him.

The blue and white cheagle attempted to float around her for a better look. "Tear!" He whined, his eyes growing large.

She grabbed the Sorcerer's Ring around his waist. "Mieu, not now…"

"Mieu…" His ears drooped and for a moment she feared he would begin to cry.

Tear stared at him, blowing her bangs from her face. "All right, all right." _I can't believe I'm giving in to a cheagle…_

"Yay!" He flew around her back and plucked the object from her grasp. As he alighted in her lap, he inspected it in the light of the fireplace of the inn. "What's this?" He shook the bottle up and down, its contents rattling.

She tapped the label. "You can read, right?"

"It's…" Mieu scrunched up his face as he tried to pronounce the word. "Ev… Ever… Everfona—"

"Everfonamin. At least, that's what Professor Shu called it." She took it back from him.

Mieu touched her arm with his paw. "Is that for the miasma?"

"…Yes." Tear twisted the cap and it came off with a dull pop. "It suppresses the effects of the miasma on my body."

He caught a whiff of the contents and shrunk back. "It smells!"

She grimaced. "I know." Nevertheless, she reached in and plucked a single pill from the bottle. "And I have to eat them…"

"I wouldn't want to." He watched her stare at the small object in her palm. "Are you going to?"

"I have to…" She swallowed hard. "I've never really liked taking medicine…"

"Me neither!" He bounced in her lap.

She felt her lips curl into a small smile. "Mieu, do you have medicine in Cheagle Woods?"

He stopped bouncing to think. "Well… No… But I don't think I'd like it if I had to take it anyway."

"I see." She closed her hand. "Maybe if I put it in a gel…"

"Mieu mieu!"

She pulled a small apple gel from her pouch and slid the pill inside. "Well, it smells better at least."

"Yum!" He sniffed it. "You better eat it soon, or I might!"

"Well, here goes nothing." She popped it into her mouth. The warm apple taste spread over her tongue. "Mm, not bad…" Her teeth bit the pill in half. "Urk!" Her hand flew to her lips to prevent her from coughing it out.

Mieu leapt into the air in alarm. "Tear!"

Her eyes began to water from the taste. She finally managed to swallow it. "Ugh…"

"Tear, are you okay?"

She nodded weakly. "I'll be all right. It just…surprised me." She stared into the fire, her eyes sliding shut. "I've been so tired lately."

"Mieu…" He settled in her lap again. "The medicine will help, won't it?"

"Yes…" She placed her hand on his fur, stroking him gently. "I hope so."

* * *

When Luke found them some time later, the fire was reduced to coals and the only light came from the moon through the window. He stood over Tear and Mieu, for a moment simply smiling. Mieu was curled into a small ball in her lap, her hand still covering him. It seemed both of them fell asleep rather quickly.

"Mieu." He picked up the cheagle. "Mieu, wake up."

"Hm… Master?" The young beast woke groggily. "Master Luke, what is it?"

"It's time for you to go to bed properly. Go on. I'll be there later."

"Yes master." Mieu floated slowly away.

Luke turned to the young woman still sleeping in the chair. "Tear…" He hated moving her. She seemed very much at peace as she slept, and he knew with her body being ravaged by the miasma, she didn't get much rest otherwise. He took a deep breath and gently set to work scooping her into his arms.

When he finally held her, he was surprised that he could carry her. Not that she was very heavy in the first place, but it shocked him just how strong he'd become in the months of traveling and adventuring they'd done. Tear felt _light_ in his arms.

He turned to walk down the hallway to the room she had to herself. Though they were all sure she wouldn't emit any miasma, she refused to let Natalia sleep in the same room. They tried reasoning with her, but trying to change Tear's mind was nearly impossible.

"Huh… Luke?"

He glanced down at her. "Tear."

"Where am I?" She seemed to be more asleep than awake.

"I'm taking you to bed."

"Oh…"

Instead of the burst of anger he expected, she simply laid her head against his shoulder. He then realized how truly exhausted she must have been. Luke smiled slightly. "Good night, Tear…"

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**Don't forget to check out my blog here! aureliaknight!weebly!com (replace ! with .)**


	2. Lap

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. ...If I did, Tear and Luke would've kissed by at least the middle of the game...**

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2

Lap

_LukexTear_

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It wasn't the first time she'd laid her head in his lap. Though she would never admit it out loud, she secretly enjoyed it, if only a little. Granted, normally when she ended up on the ground it was due to her collapse from the miasma. When it first happened he seemed almost hesitant, holding her awkwardly as if she would crumble in his hands. The second time he wasted no time in comforting her, making his warm presence known.

Now, lying on a beach, he was at it again. Luke absently ran his fingers through her hair and had his other hand supporting him upright. He looked down when he heard her chuckle softly. "What?"

"You're…petting me." Tear turned her head slightly to gaze at him. "I'm not a cat."

"Uh…" Luke stilled his hand, gripping a lock of light brown hair between his forefinger and thumb. "It's not my fault you're soft…" He looked away as a blush crept into his cheeks.

At that moment Mieu decided to run over to them. "Master, Master!"

"What is it, Thing?" Luke turned on him harshly.

"Master, Anise wants you to help her build a sand castle!" The cheagle tilted his head slightly. "Why don't you pet _me_ like that, Master?"

Luke had begun to stroke her hair again. He stopped and grabbed Mieu. "Go help Anise and leave me alone!" He threw the small animal toward the other side of the beach.

Tear pushed herself up. "Luke, you need to be nicer to him. You're stuck with him for a year, after all."

"He's annoying." He flopped back on the sand. "Anyway, Tear, I never noticed you were so pale before."

She stared at for a moment before sighing. "There's hardly any sun in the Qliphoth. Of course I'm pale."

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Stop worrying about me. I'm fine." She settled herself on him again, her head resting on his exposed stomach. "Besides… I might start to think that you care about me."

"I do care about you, Tear!" He partially sat up. "Without you we never would have lowered the Outer Lands. We need you."

She remained stoic, silent for a time. "…Right."

"Just forget about it." He moved her hair so that instead of just her right eye, it covered both. He lay back on the warm sand.

Tear smiled, readjusting her bangs. "Idiot."


	3. (Hot) Chocolate

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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3

(Hot) Chocolate

_Guy/Natalia friendship (with a hint of romance because it's NATALIA)_

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Much to everyone's surprise, Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear had a remarkably ordinary sneeze. The dainty young woman first showcased it at dinner in the restaurant at the Keterburg Hotel, immediately blushing and apologizing profusely afterward. She then proceeded to stare into her lap, embarrassed.

"Well then." Jade pushed up his spectacles. "Our little princess seems to have caught a cold."

"I'm fine." She didn't help her case by sniffling directly after. "Really."

"Natalia, if you're sick, you need to rest." Tear gazed at her from across the table.

The princess shook her head. "We can't afford that. I'm all right."

Luke caught Tear's eye and nodded. "We're going to stay here as long as we need to. Natalia, you should probably go ahead up to the room if you're done."

"R-right." She stood up and began to walk to the hallway where she could ride an elevator up to their rooms.

"Tear, you mean we have to sleep in the same room as a sick person?!" Anise's shrill voice drifted to the doorway where Natalia stood.

"_Anise!_" Tear admonished her.

Natalia frowned slightly before she left the room. She made her way to the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. She closed her eyes on the ride up, feeling her head begin to throb. When the doors opened again, she stumbled out and walked around to her room.

Upon entry she shrugged off her quiver and rested it against the wall next to her bow. Then, she unceremoniously flung herself onto one of the beds.

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"Tear, Tear, Tear, Tear!"

"Anise, be quiet!"

Natalia groggily opened her eyes, pushing herself into a sitting position. "What's going on?"

Anise nimbly leapt from the bed she shared with Tear to dash up to the princess. "Tear won't join our snowball fight!"

"Anise, I told you I have to make sure Natalia is all right. We can't just leave her here alone." Tear sat resolutely on the bed, her arms crossed.

"I'm fine. You should go have fun." Natalia lay down on the blankets again. "I'm just going to sleep it off anyway."

"Are you sure?"

Anise grabbed Tear's hand and dragged her from the room. "She said to go have fun! Come on!"

"But—!"

The door slammed shut behind them. Natalia smiled slightly and nuzzled down into the pillow. She closed her eyes, allowing her body to go limp. It felt nice, she decided, to be able to relax after all that time of fighting and running around. She didn't even mind she had caught a cold in the process. _Somewhat worth it._

Just as she felt herself begin to doze off, someone knocked on her door. She sat up again. "Who is it?" Her voice was strained and she cleared her throat.

"It's Guy."

_Guy?_ "Come in."

The door opened and Guy strode in, a mug of something in his hand. "Hey."

"Guy, what are you doing here?" She watched him walk around to sit on the other bed across from her.

He smiled, handing her the mug. "Jade told me that Keterburg has good hot chocolate, so I decided to get you some. I thought it might make you feel better."

"Oh…" She looked down into the warm brown liquid. A bit of steam swirled up from it. "It smells delicious."

"I'm glad you like it."

She tried to take a sip of it, though it burned her tongue where it slid. She recoiled in surprise. "It's still hot!"

"Oh, sorry." He took it back to place on the small end table between the beds. "Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded. "A little. I managed to sleep a bit, until Anise began yelling at Tear…"

"That sounds like Anise."

"Yes…" Natalia took a deep breath. "Thank you, Guy…"

He grabbed the mug again. "It should be cold enough for you to drink now."

"Thanks." She took it and began drinking it slowly. True to Jade's claim, it was delicious, and at once she felt much more relaxed and warm. "Guy, why aren't you out enjoying the snow with the others?"

He shrugged. "I knew you probably wanted some company. Just because you're sick doesn't mean you have to be alone."

"That's very sweet of you."

"Besides, you need to start feeling better so we can get to the Absorption Gate."

She stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Yes, that's perfectly right."

"Well, I'm gonna let you get some rest. Enjoy the hot chocolate!" Guy stood up, stretched, and walked to the door.

"I will." She turned slightly. "Guy?"

"Yeah?" He had his hand on the doorknob.

"Thank you for…for this."

He grinned. "Anytime, Natalia."

The princess heard the door close softly as she continued to drink. _Worth it._


	4. Cold

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

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4

Cold

_Anise/Natalia/Tear friendship_

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"Natalia… Hey, Natalia…"

Natalia opened her eyes slowly. "What is it, Anise?" Her voice was thick.

"I'm cold."

She sighed. "Fine…" She moved closer in the bed to the girl. "Happy now?"

"Thank you!"

The two girls were silent then, the only sound coming from Tear's even breathing as she slept alone in the other bed. Natalia began to shiver. She turned over to where Anise was curled up against her. "Anise, you're making _me_ cold!"

"Sorry!"

"Quiet…" Tear moaned softly in her sleep before settling back into her dreams.

Natalia took a deep breath. "Tear looks awfully warm over there…"

"Yeah, she does." Anise looked up at the princess. "Let's do it."

Silently, they got up and snuck into the other bed, each girl taking up a spot on either side of Tear. Anise made herself comfortable snuggling up to the Seventh Fonist, but Natalia felt a little awkward doing so. "Do you think she'd mind?"

"She's asleep. She doesn't care." Anise sighed softly. "She's warm…"

"Well, all right." Natalia turned her back to Tear and pressed close to her.

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The next morning, Tear awoke first to a sheet of golden hair. She turned her head to see Anise draped across her stomach, while Natalia seemed to be hugging her from the side. "Ah?!"

"So soft…" Natalia nuzzled against Tear's head, burying her nose in her light brown hair.

Anise just snored, turning over and jabbing her elbow into the girl's gut.

"Ow…" Tear winced, reaching up to move Anise's arm. However, she thought better of it, instead deciding to wake up both girls at once. "Hey!"

The princess groggily lifted her head. "Huh?" She looked down to see her arms wrapped around Tear and gasped, pushing herself away. "Tear, I-I'm sorry!"

"Heh, I'm not." Anise pulled the blankets closer to her and turned over again on Tear. "I was warm all night."

"What were you two thinking?" Tear narrowed her eyes, mostly glaring at Natalia.

"Anise was cold, so she began to…" Natalia felt her face begin to heat up in a blush. "Anyway, then I got cold, so we came over to you, because you looked very warm… I didn't think we'd all end up cuddling!"

Tear turned completely scarlet. "D-don't say it like that!"

"Well, that _is_ what we were doing, wasn't it?"

"What's wrong with cuddling?" Anise looked up innocently.

Tear exhaled, a sharp gust of air. "You're a child so it's different. You're like a younger sister. It's just weird with Natalia and me!"

"Hmph." Natalia turned on her side. "Well then. I didn't much enjoy it anyway. You're too tense."

"You were hugging me and kept rubbing my hair, whispering, 'It's so soft!' over and over again."

The princess rolled over again to face her. "It _is_ soft!" She reached out to stroke Tear's hair again. "Oh, I wish my hair could be like this…"

"I wanna feel!" Anise reached up. She captured a lock of hair in her small hand. "Ooh, yeah, it is pretty soft!"

"Get off of me!" Tear struggled to sit up, shoving Anise off her stomach. "We need to start getting ready for the day!"

Natalia gasped and turned an even deeper shade of red than before. "Tear, you… You don't sleep in your dress?"

"No!" She managed to untangle herself from the mess of blankets and sheets and stand up. "If you're all awake, we need to go down to breakfast." She walked over to where her dress lay draped over a chair and pulled it on over her maroon undershirt. "By the way…"

Natalia and Anise looked at her. "Y-yes?" The princess swallowed hard.

"We will _never_ speak of this. _Ever_." Tear stepped into her boots. "Understand?"

"I bet Luke would like to know how you sle—" Anise suddenly found herself with a mouthful of pillow.

Natalia nodded. "We understand." She shot a glare at the girl before standing herself. "You cause all sorts of trouble."

"But aren't I adorable?" The guardian grinned cheekily.

Both Natalia and Tear looked down at her. "_No_."

"Aw…"


End file.
